Hat forming machine



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M. PRESS 3.465%@ HAT FORMING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. l5, 1947 mmm, fwulmb I'l I M. PRESS HAT FORMING MACHINE Filed Jan. 15, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 PRESS HAT FORMING MACHIN E 3 sheds-sheet s Filed Jan. l5, 1947 Rx@ ummm.

. S@ vim@ www U INVENTOR. Mr/ff Pfam" BY Patented Sept. 6, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAT FORMING MACHINE Morris Press, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Miller Bros; Hat Co. Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York 2 Claims.

This invention relates to hat forming machines and has for its object to provide an automatic hydraulic hat forming machine which will save labor and eliminate fatigue oi operators.

For this purpose the invention consists of attachments to existing hat forming machines, these attachments being so arranged as to permit operation of the machine under control of a timing device regulated to conform to time requirements for the various operations performed on a hat in this machine. This timing device is capable of adjustment to varying requirements of the different materials used for hats.

More particularly, the invention consists in an attachment to a known hat making machine, which has an upper head having an inflatable hat forming body, a lower head having a complementary hat forming body, and operating means for each of said heads, which attachment includes a'rotatable drum, a plurality of valves disposed in alignment along said rotatable drum, means on the drum for opening or closing said valves, said means being spaced from each other on the drum along the aligned valves, means controlled by certain of said valves to control the operating means for the iniiatable hat forming head, means controlled by certain of said valves to control the operating means for the lower head, and means for rotating the drum, whereby the upper and lower heads are moved towards each other, and the upper head conditioned for forming the hat, and are moved from each other, when the hat is formed, in timed relation with the actuation of said valves.

The invention also includes a special mechanism to carry out the operation of the foregoing structure including an electric circuit of electric conductors cooperating with brushes acting on the Valve opening and closing means.

The invention will be more fully described hereinafter, embodiments thereof shown in the drawings, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. l is a front view in section of a hat forming machine, connected to an attachment for regulating the operative parts of the hat forming machine;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic top View of the timing device for automatic operation of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a partial end view of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic layout of the Gam action timer.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the various views.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 show the general construction of a hat forming machine, as known, with the improvement connected therewith to automatically operate the same. As known the hat forming machine consists of the stationary head I0 supported by frame rods II secured to base I2. The upper head I0 has a flexible pressure bag I3 which is lled with uid under pressure when a hat blank is formed. The lower head I5 is movable vertically and is cushioned in its lower position by springs I6, acting against it, which springs are adjustable by collars II on standards II. The lower or movable head I5 has a mould I8 which fits into a steam jacketed cavity I 9. 'Ihe weight of head I5 is counter-balanced by weight W.

In operation of the machine as known with head I E in its lower position, a hat form is placed in mould I8. The head I5 is brought to its upper position in contact with head I0 by use of hand levers not shown. In this position the bag I3 is inside the mould I8. Heretofore pressure was applied inside bag I3 through a hydraulic hand operated pump, not shown. This pressure is held on the hat form for a pre-determined time and then released after which head I5 is returned to its lower position and the formed hat removed.

The purpose of this improvement is to eliminate the hand work referred to above and provide uniform timing and pressure. Referring again to Figure 1 and Figure 2 attachments and mechanism is shown for moving head I5 and for applying pressure to bag I3. In Figure 2 a cylinder and piston 33 is connected to air or iluid under pressure so that the piston may be caused to reciprocate by admitting and exhausting air or fluid. In the arrangement shown this piston carries a rod 32 connected to a rack 3| which meshes with a gear 30 which is fixed to shaft 21. It will be seen that admitting pressure to one side of the piston will cause rack 3l to move turning gear 30 and shaft 21 causing head I5 to be moved by links 25 and 26. It is understood that the cylinder and piston may be connected to this linkage by other suitable means. Pressure is applied inside bag I3 through pipe 20 connected to reservoir 2|. Reservoir 2| is partly led with fluid which is acted upon by air supplied under pressure through pipe 24.

The hat forming machine may be operated as follows: With head I5 in its lower position, a hat blank is placed in mould I8. With valve 35a closed, valve 35bvopen, valve 36h closed, valve opened, exhausting air from reservoir 2l and re lieving pressure in bag I3. Valve 35a is then opened, valve 36a closed, valve 36h opened, and valve 351) closed, admitting air or fluid to the left hand end of cylinder 33 actuating parts and causing head I5 to return to its lower position. The formed hat blank is then removed from I8.

In order to save time and effort the'ftiming device shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4 is provided to open and close these valves in sequence. To accomplish this an electric motor 55 drives4 a speed reducer 60 and a pin gear 62 which engages pin gear 54 which has several rows of pin teeth. Gear 62 is slidable 0n its'shaft 6I giving a variable ratio between 62 and 64 so as to permit variations f speed of rotations of gear 64. Gear 0 4 is fixed to a shaft 65 on which is mounted drum 45, and which shaft is supported by standards 65a (Fig. 4) Drum 45 carries cam blocks 40, 4I, 42, 42a., 43, 43a, which depress stems of valves 22a, 23a, 35a, 36a, 35h, 35h, to open valves. Valves are closed by springs around the valve stems. Motor 55 receives electric current through a circuit as shown through circular conductors I6V which are insulated from drum 45. The conductors 45 have a gap 41 which is Wider than contacts 48 so thatv they will drop intothis gap breaking the electric circuit and stopping motor 55 once per each revolution of drum 45. Contacts 48 are long enough to bridge this gap so that they do not intercept the circuit at this gap. Push buttons 51 and 58 are located a sufhcient distance apart to require operator t0 use both hands to start the motor. This is a safety provision. Cam blocks 4l), 4I, 42, 42a, 43,4311, 4B are made in twovor more pieces which-may be moved to give longer or shorter cams as the timing of the operations require.

The electrical circuit shown consists of two conductors 52 and 49 connected vwith a source of power, and with the upper brushes 48, and have a Control switch 50. 49 conductors 52a and 49a are connected, which conductors 52a and 49a are connected with the motor 55. The switch 'I is in series with the conductor 52a and the switch 58 is in series with the conductor 49a. To the conductors 52 and 43a are connected conductors 5I and 5,3, connected with the lower brushes 48.

In operation buttons 5I and 58 are pressed, starting motor 55. After contacts 48 cross gap 4'I the motor continues to run after pressure is removed from 51 and 58. As drum 45 .turns stem of valves 22a, 23a., 35a, 36a, 35h, 35h, are depressed in proper sequence by cams 40, 4I, 42. 42a, 43, 43a, 46, and held open or left closed for length of time dependent on length of cams, and speed of rotation of drum 45. After one rotation of drum 45 completing one cycle 'of operations motor 55 is stopped by contact 48 interrupting the electric circuit, after which the formed hat is removed.

Preferably, the motor 55 rotates at 1750 R. P. M., which is reduced by 900:1, the 'shaft 6I rotating at 1.94 R. P. M. The shaft 64 rotates respectively at 2.60, 2.05, 1.40 and .85 R. P. M. l

In Fig. 5 is shown a self explanatory diagram To these conductors 52 and 4 of the drum cooperating with the respective valves.

The angles shown for each cam are based on the following cycle; these being given as examples:

Seconds,

minimum (l) Close Machine. (2) Turn on pressure 23) Hold pressure 4) Exhaust pressure (5) Open Machine.. (6) Lag I have described several forms of my invention, but obviously various changes may be made in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as set out in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a hat forming machine having an upper heady with an inflatable hat forming body, a lower head with a hat forming body, means for operating the inflatable hat forming body, and means for operating the lower head, the combination of a rotatable drum, a plurality of valves disposed in alignment along said rotatable drum. means on the drum for opening or closing said valves, said means being spaced from each other on the drum along the aligned valves. means con- Number trolled by certain of said valves to control the aforesaid operating means for the inflatable hat forming body, means controlled by the other valves to control the aforesaid operating means for the lower head, and means for rotating the drum, whereby the lower head is moved towards the upper head and the upper head operatively conditioned for forming the hat, and the lower head is moved away from the upper head, when the hat is formed, in timed relation with the actui ation of said valves.

2. In a hat forming machine having an upper head having an inflatable hat forming body, a lower head with a hat forming body, means for operating said inflatable hat forming body, means for operating the lower head, thefcombination 0f a fluid pressure mechanism for the. inflatable hat forming body, a piston with rack and gear connection, a plurality of valves disposed in alignel ment along a rotatable drum having means thereon for opening or closing said valves, said means being spaced from each other along the aligned valves, electric conductors spaced circumferentially on said drum, brushes for said conductors, means controlled by certain of said valves to control the aforesaid uid pressure mechanism, means controlled by the other valves to control the piston, and means for rotating the drum including a motor, a speed reducer, a pin gear cooperating with the drum, and an electric circuit connected with the brushes, with a manually controlled switch for the motor, whereby the lower head is moved towards the upperhead, and the upper head operatively conditioned for formthe hat, and the lower head is moved away from the upper head when the hat is formed, in timed relation with the actuation of said valves.

MORRIS PRESS.

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,527,801 Hoatum et a1 Feb. 24,1925 

